In their 2021 Educational Leadership article, University of Pennsylvania professors Zachary Hermann and Pam Grossman argue:
All too often, PD efforts ignore principles and research on adult learning for the sake of efficiency. Powerful professional development to support instruction takes time, attention to the demands of particular subject matters and grade levels, and differentiated support for teachers at different stages of developing their practice.
For the sake of efficiency. FOR THE SAKE OF EFFICIENCY!
Recently, while scrolling through social media, I came across a thread of posts from educators suggesting that professional development was a waste of time. They argued that teachers should be given more individual work time and fewer building- or district-directed activities. I found myself shaking my head. While it’s hard to defend professional learning that is sporadic, disconnected from educators’ needs, and delivered in a one-size-fits-all format, throwing the baby out with the bathwater is certainly not the answer.
We live in an era where demands on educators continue to increase while pay barely keeps pace with inflation. The desire for efficiency is understandable. Yet, the field of education is also under attack—threatened by efforts to de-professionalize the art and science of teaching. Replacing opportunities for continuous improvement with opportunities to simply check more items off a to-do list sends the wrong message to those who already question our credentials and our commitment to evidence-based practices.
Bringing back the “professional” in professional development requires at least two steps for school leaders:
1. Communicate Professional Development Agendas in Advance
Agendas should clearly connect to district, school, and/or collaborative team goals. Hermann and Grossman (2021) remind us that “Powerful professional development to support instruction takes time,” and any educator who has planned PD knows that powerful PD takes a lot of time to design. While sharing an agenda may seem like low-hanging fruit, failing to do so can send a subtle message that PD is not valued or important. Advance communication doesn’t need to be complex. For example:
Dear Staff:
Two weeks from now, our professional development day will begin with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. At 8:30, we’ll gather in the media center to continue refining our knowledge and implementation of essential standards. Based on feedback from our previous PD day, staff requested more time to deepen understanding of essential standards rather than moving on to our planned workshop on common formative assessments. As you know, one of our district goals this year is to develop a guaranteed and viable curriculum in over 50% of our grade levels and content areas. Essential standards are a key step toward this goal.
In the afternoon, beginning at 12:30, grade-level and content teams will continue their learning, facilitated by an AEA curriculum consultant or instructional coach for more content-specific support. Your principal will share afternoon room locations next week. We look forward to another day of continuous improvement. Go Spartans!
2. Differentiate Professional Development Activities
Professional development should never be one-size-fits-all. Any seasoned educator knows the frustration of sitting through a session intended for a different audience. While there are times when general exposure is necessary (e.g., brief updates on state special education laws for general education teachers), PD time is precious. Every educator should understand how the session will help them grow professionally.
In the early 2000s, “EdCamp”-style gatherings—where educators chose their own learning topics—were popular. I personally benefited from this approach. However, see Step #1: PD must connect to school or district goals. For example, if Mrs. Smith wants to learn more about whole language literacy instruction, but the district’s philosophy is on the opposite end of the spectrum, encouraging EdCamp-style PD could be counterproductive. Connecting professional learning with teachers’ individual career development plans is certainly a step in the right direction as-is asking teachers for input on the supports they need to continue working towards established goals will be a welcomed conversation by many educators I know.
In summary: Bringing back the “professional” in professional development involves (at least) two steps:
- Communicate PD agendas in advance, with clear connections to district, school, and/or team goals.
- Differentiate PD activities rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Instead of focusing solely on efficiency, leaders should intentionally design and communicate opportunities for individual growth and systematic improvement.
(This article was originally written for Iowa ASCD’s “The Source” e-newsletter)
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Disclosure: The author’s original writing was copied and pasted into a generative AI tool followed by the prompt “proofread for clarity.” The ideas presented in this article are those of the author.